


The Lake

by FoxRafer



Category: Lord of the Rings RPF
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2008-01-21
Updated: 2008-01-21
Packaged: 2017-10-22 05:36:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 509
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/234412
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FoxRafer/pseuds/FoxRafer





	The Lake

When the day began, bright and refreshing, the last place he expected to end up was the lake. Their lake. A quick run to the store had become a southern turn down the highway, skimming the Hudson River. He seemed to drive on pure instinct, once forgotten memories directing him into the Highlands and down mud-packed roads to this place. Yet he wasn't quite surprised to find himself here, to once again be looking at the barely rippling water, the trees a thick blanket surrounding him.

The first time they had come here their love had yet to be spoken, but it spiraled around them, one moment calm and silken, the next storming and resonant. The air had been crisp, giving them courage. And they opened their hearts to each other, freely sharing hopes and fears under an impossibly vibrant sun. He remembered laughing when his new love compared his eyes to the blue of the sky, the answering blush beautiful against pale skin. They were exuberant and alive, reveling in love's infancy.

The last time they were here the trees, full of rich fall foliage, witnessed stubborn men full of pride and recriminations. Fear had compounded poor judgments and bad decisions, both men driven by anger, blind to the other's pain. Deep breaths, more attempts to explain, to talk. But each time it dissolved into accusations, disappointment and finally resignation. He remembered the tightness in his throat, his hands clenching into fists, and the mixture of fire and sadness in what were once beloved green eyes. Neither had imagined they would find themselves here, unable to forgive, realizing this was the cessation of so much they held dear.

He walked out onto the gazebo at the end of the pier, seeing shadows of young men swimming in the water, hearing echoes of laughter, feeling the cold of the lake heated from gentle touches and demanding kisses. This place was still beautiful, still calm, but it didn't bring the same peace it once did. A richly accented voice spoke his name and he almost expected it, suddenly knew he had been waiting for it. Turning it seemed as if they had stepped back in time, once more the men they had been, on the brink of throwing everything away. They held the other's gaze for long moments before the familiar swaggering gait brought the man he would always love to his side.

They leaned against the railing, eyes fixed on the opposite shore, voices low yet strong. Silences were awkward, but this time they used them to let words sink in and gather thoughts. Words were carefully chosen and this time heard. Slowly the well-known comfort, the quiet intimacy they had experienced from their first meeting, began to grow once more. Shy smiles became more confident, and while they hesitated to give voice to feelings undiminished by time, they shifted closer, clasping their hands tightly together. Surprised yet thankful for second chances, in time they would make the lake theirs once more, create new memories by its serene water.


End file.
